From the beginning of the Order of Preachers (a.k.a the Dominicans) in 1216, St. Dominic sent his friars out two by two. Even today, Dominican Friars, both priests and brothers, live in community. Community is the basis of our life together. We live together, pray together, study together, share meals together, and minister together.

Our communities, called priories, consist of six or more friars (priests and brothers), governed by a prior. Since the foundation of the Order, the friars have had a voice in electing their superiors. St. Dominic envisioned all the friars taking an active role in the life of the community. Unlike some monastic communities where a single abbot rules for life, priors serve a three-year term, renewable only once.

Every official of the Order, including the Master in Rome, Provincials, and Priors, serve a fixed term. When that term ends, they return to their role as ordinary members of the community. No friar holds special honors or status over another.

Community is also a place of great joy and fun! We celebrate holidays, birthdays, and many other special events together. For example: In Memphis, we love to cook…and eat…great food. The dinner table becomes a place of lively discussion and storytelling. And our Memphis Friars’ Christmas party is second-to-none! (Just ask our own Memphis Bishop Martin Holley who loves to attend.) We invite all our local friends and benefactors into our community for an evening of traditional Christmas fare, Louisiana cooking, and cocktails.

How do you prepare a dinner party for 200 of your closest friends? Join us and find out!

Dominican Friars never have “enough knowledge.” We devote our lives to studying the Word of God (i.e., Sacred Scriptures), Theology, and any topic that helps us better serve the Church. Whether in a formal program of study at a university or at our community lector meetings, where we study a topic together, the Friars are always delving into new areas of knowledge.

Dominicans also go beyond the realm of Scripture and Theology. In Memphis, Fr. Paul Watkins has an extensive background in business. At Christian Brothers University, he serves as Associate Professor in the Business Department. What does business have to do with faith you might ask? Business leaders shape the world around us in many ways. Isn’t it critical that future business leaders integrate their faith and values into their profession?

Our study is not meant to isolate us into one discipline. Rather, the more we study varied topics, the better we can incorporate our faith and knowledge. Jesus Christ, whom we all serve, brought the mystery of God into the world. We commit our study to that goal: Making the knowledge and wisdom of study accessible to everyone.

St. Dominic was known always to be talking to God or about God. Prayer was the core of his daily life. As Dominican Friars, we pray both as a community and in private. Even our study can be a form of prayer!

We pray the Liturgy of the Hours, which is the prayer of the Church. We have a strong devotion to the Rosary, the great prayer given to St. Dominic by Mary, Mother of God. And the celebration of the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist, are at the heart of our prayer.

Our prayer helps us listen to God as we worship him. We learn about God’s call and ask the Holy Spirit to strengthen us for our preaching and ministry. Our prayer also unites us to the saints and an 800-year tradition of the Order.

Before the Dominican Order, only bishops preached in all places. Unless he was a pastor preaching in his own parish, a priest did not have permission to preach. So, when St. Dominic asked the Holy Father to found and “Order of Preachers,” the Holy Father responded, “You want to found and order of bishops?

St. Dominic saw the need for good preaching and sound teaching. He needed his priests to have the authority to preach everywhere they went. So, from the very beginning, he ensured his friars studied hard and knew the teachings of the Church. Remember our devotion to study? It has a real purpose! “Preaching the Gospel of Christ for the salvation of souls” is not just a fancy slogan, it is reason we come together as Dominican Friars.

Where do we preach?

We preach in parishes, on retreats, in universities, in pubs (Theology on Tap!), and even right here on the internet. Yes. Right here. Like on this site!

Questions About Becoming A Priest in 2018?

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About Us

We are the Dominican Friars of Memphis, part of the worldwide Order of Preachers founded in 1216. We have continuously served Memphis since 1845. We are part of the Province of Saint Martin de Porres in the Order of Friars Preachers serving the Southern United States.

This vocations website is part of our community’s Holy Preaching – inspiring others via spoken and written word to answer God’s call to be a priest, brother or friar.